It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I’m linking up with It’s Monday! What are you reading? hosted by Kathryn of The Book Date later on today. Kathryn took over this weekly, Monday meme from Shelia of Book Journey who had taken it over from J Kayne Book Blog. This meme is not just about adult books either. If you read picture and chapter books, juvenile fiction, or even YA, they count as well. Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers give this Monday, book post link up a kid-focus.

The Dillio

Hello. I hope those of you who are in the US with me and who are mothers had a lovely Mama’s Day yesterday. How did you celebrate?

Saturday, the crew and I got up early and headed out to Brentwood to Nunn Better Farms to get there around 9am, when it opened. And what did we pick?

Cherries!

The husband told me to follow them on IG so we’d know when they were opening. My honey carries this big, paint bucket while the dames and I carry kid-sized, sand buckets. We went on the first day and tried to pick dark ones. You see here 24 lbs. $84.

I’ve been texting neighbors to come over with a container to get some. Sharing the wealth.

Shades of Earl Grey (A Tea Shop Mystery #3) by Laura Childs

Kindle version

I needed a change after the last couple of books I had read so I turned back to this series. Reading this third installment reminded me of how much I liked these books.

The tea content in this series is plentiful. I never get bored reading about the different types, where they come from and how they taste. Theodosia has sense of purpose to find out the truth. Her compassion for fellow, city members and her curiosity are what drives her to sleuth for suspects and to ponder on how they’re related to the murdered victim. There is no rushing of the plot, everything making sense and easy to follow.

I wish my library had all of the series. There are missing installments which can be irritating. I may start buying these books so I can keep up and read them. Four stars.

Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7) by Sarah J. Maas

Kindle version

This book is the last of its series. I read this one whenever I could, a bulk either in the car before pick up or when my neighbor’s dog would sit on my lap (we dog sat three times) or on the couch next to me. This installment is epic. It’s all about war with everyone separated in groups in different places. There are surprises in this one, ones I didn’t see coming. I felt they brought recognition to the characters involved, a complete circle and had set up the future. Four stars.

I know there are fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses who weren’t impressed with this series. I can understand why as I wasn’t impressed with the first book of Throne of Glass. But you know what? It slowly grew on me. I think in the future I will buy this set so I can slowly read through it. I already know what happens but I can then savor each book and most likely glean details I have missed.

They’re pretty good, Patty. Not as sweet as we would like but we ain’t goin back. The tween brought three, paper lunch bags of them today for her teacher, her former fifth grade teacher, and her math teacher. We’ll probably get less next year. I told the teen’s former, third grade teacher from the city that if she goes next year to meet up w/us so my kids can help her pick the good ones. Her oldest son is a toddler and he was only tall enough to pick green ones, LOL.

Hi Stefanie, yeah, we can pick the Bartlett pears, the green ones, we also have the red ones here. I love them when they are nice and ripe! We eat them fresh or I make them into a tarte tatin type of pie! Yum! Yeah…bending over…can be rough lol…I stopped berry picking because it was just too much work! Though one day I want to have a hoard of blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes! 🙂

Looking forward to cherries appearing in our stores soon! How generous of you to share from your labors! 🙂 For Mothers’ Day we had Chinese take-out that we shared with our sons then played games and took some pictures.

Yum, Chinese take out! We have yet to try Chinese here in the lower, east bay. I was asking the teenager’s friend, one who gets a ride home from me 2x a week, about where does her and her family like to go.

Mmm lovely cherries. In NZ they come in at Christmas all fresh and juicy and so we include them in the Christmas table. Very yummy. Nice you appreciated the Maas book and like the series and nice idea to buy and savour.

I keep forgetting, Kathryn, that your seasons are different as you’re in the southern hemisphere. Is there fruit picking in NZ? Yeah, the Throne of Glass series is kind of like a chess board as each book is one move drawn out into a tale.

I love that you picked cherries!!! And that is a gorgeous bowlful! We love to go fruit picking but haven’t picked cherries. A goal for next year maybe. We usually do blueberries, strawberries, and peaches. 🙂 I’m glad you a wonderful day!

Happy reading, glad you are enjoying the Laura Childs series. We had a nice Mother’s Day weekend here also. The kids always get me something, even though I tell them not to lol. Just clean the house and I’ll be happy.
The cherries look great! We pick apples here in the Fall.
Enjoy your weekend 🙂